I have a granddaughter who has a new baby, and several of us were visiting the two this afternoon.
I saw mother love exemplified; she couldn't keep her eyes off that baby!
No matter who was holding her, every moment, mother's eyes were on that baby; she is now my granddaughter's life!
There is no human love that we know as faithful and enduring as the love of a mother for her son. (I said "son" for a reason--it's sons who get into so much trouble that they break mother' hearts--more than daughters seem to do!)
The best Son in all eternity broke His mother's heart when she was forced to watch Him writhing on a Roman cross, crucified as though He were a criminal.
Can you imagine the pain that slashed Mary's heart! Old Simeon, when he found Joseph and Mary and the holy Child in the Temple, said to her, "A sword shall pierce through thy own soul ..." (Luke 2:25-35).
The Greek word old Simeon used for "sword" was ramphaia, the word for Goliath's sword, that huge weapon that young David pulled out of its scabbard as he jumped up onto the felled and stunned giant after he had hit him in the forehead with his pebble slung with marvelous accuracy inspired by the Holy Spirit; but what a prophecy old Simeon declared under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit!
Poor Mary, as she watched her holy Son grow up and wondered at His holy character! What joy He must have brought to her; but she could never forget that inspired prophecy of the old prophet; no mother has suffered the pain that Mary must have suffered when she watched Jesus being crucified!
Someone will object, "But many mothers in the old Roman Empire had to watch their sons crucified!"
Yes, but don't forget the more than sublime hope and joy that Jesus' identity had brought to her from His birth to the awful event of Calvary; she could not understand what was going on! Sometimes in my faulty human thinking I have wondered if it had not been more merciful of the Lord to let Mary join her husband Joseph in sleep before Calvary had to happen; but I cannot second guess the Father's holy will.
The Father permitted this terribly awful Event to be witnessed by the human mother of our Lord and Savior; if any mother will read the awful Story in the Gospels, as it is, she will be inspired and strengthened to endure the trials that God in His providence permits mothers everywhere to endure.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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